Looking Forward

Yes.  It's a list.  Of things I'm looking forward to here in the next little while.

1.  Temps above 58 and sunshine - I mean, come on, it can only get warmer from here, right?
2.  Being able to sleep on my stomach.  I miss it so much!
3.  3 months off - where I only have to worry about being a mom.  Not being a mom full time and working full time.
4.  Cabin time sans belly {tried it Easter weekend.....9 months prego + not-so-comfy-cabin-mattress = torture}.
5.  Swingset time for my kids in the backyard {in correlation with #1}
6.  Being able to push my kids on the swings without getting contractions.
7.  Late night feedings when the rest of the house is dark & quiet {you're probably thinking, yeah right, you're really not looking forward to that.  But it's something I really have always loved doing with my newborns}.
8.  Wearing pants with an actual functioning zipper.
9.  The disappearing of the little red dots that are now covering my face, neck, chest, arms, and hands.
10. And, of course, the thing I am most looking forward to - getting this baby out of my belly and into my arms.
11. Oh, and baby breath {yummy!!}
12. And did I mention warmer weather yet?  Oh, well maybe it needs to be mentioned again.

The Iron Bladder

As I have mentioned {more than once, I know} we are potty training Mya.  Why can't all kids just have the same patterns/habits when it comes to this?  Anyway, I just wanted to share our little experience - the Child with the Iron Bladder.
I learned very quickly that Mya could hold it for quite some time.  And when I say quite some time, I mean not peeing a single drop from 9:30 am until 7:00 pm.  Yep.
By about 5:00, her poor tummy was hurting and she would be running around the house crying, but refusing to go in the potty.  Or a Pull-Up.  Or even a diaper {at some point you just want the poor kid to relieve herself anywhere}.
And then, usually at about the most inopportune moment possible, the floodgates would open and she would unleash a river of urine - on the floor.
Thank goodness for a) owning a steam cleaner, and b) having lots of non-carpeted surfaces in our house.
We tried everything to get her to go.
Books, songs, coloring, playing games, giving her the iPod to watch movies/play games on, and of course lots and lots of fluid.
Saturday we sat with her from 4:00-7:00 and got nothing more than about 4 drops.  And every time she did eek out a little drop or two, she would shake and say "no, no, no, no".
I cried many, many, many times.
I looked up every forum I could on the internet, trying to learn some fabulous tip that would work.  I read nothing that I wasn't already doing.
How do you potty train a kid who JUST WON'T GO??
Sunday morning I had a little idea.  Something I am usually completely opposed to, because it is so nasty to me.
I put her little Dora potty chair in the family room so she could be out with everyone else and hopefully become more relaxed/distracted and be able to let loose.
I know that a lot of people do this when they're trying to get their kids familiar with the potty, but it just seriously grosses me out.
Well, wish I would've had this stroke of genius about 2 weeks sooner, because it totally worked.
She still holds it for a long time, but not to the point of being in pain, and tells us when she needs to go.  And who is going to complain about their kid being able to hold it?
So, I think we did it.  I know we're not done, and I expect it to be a couple more weeks before I feel like I can maybe say that she's potty trained.
But I feel like Super Mom because of it.  It was such a major hurdle to just get her to go.
To me, that's one of the most rewarding things about being a parent - encountering a problem with your child {even if the problem is pee} and finding something that works.  Parenting is so much trial & error.  Sometimes I feel so defeated over, and over, and over again. 
So it may have taken a few weeks, but I figured it out.
And it is awesome - because I did NOT want to be buying diapers x2 this time around!!

A Day to Remember

Today was a crazy day.  I'm really trying to get Mya potty trained before this baby comes.  Well, it's really hard to train a child who can hold it.  And I mean HOLD IT.  For 10+ hours.  And no accidents in between.  I'm trying to take a more relaxed road with her than I did with Lauren, for my own sanity.  I can really only do about 2 consecutive days of hard core training before I crack and have to take a break.

Oh well, it will happen some time.

Anyway, so here is what I really wanted to remember about today:

I didn't feel like puking once today.

All.  Day.  Long.

I just reaized that it's 8:00 and I haven't felt nauseous at all today.  I haven't had a day like this in over 7 months.

And it feels absolutely fabulous.

So even though I had to clean up a major pee puddle in my front room {fyi, when your kid holds it for a really long time, when it finally comes, it is in epic amounts}, at least I feel great today!

And I thought I'd throw in a picture since tomorrow marks 35 weeks.

That's right, 35 weeks!

**I never thought my, ahem, "top" would look small.  But when your belly is huge, it really minimizes other parts, eh?

10 Things - I'm a Copycat :)

I decided to copycat my 2 friends & do a "10 Things" random list, because I have nothing else to blog about, and I do not want to blog about pregnancy again right now :)

1 - I have had basically the same hair style for years and don't plan on changing it any time soon.  Whenever I do change it, I can't figure out how to do it right and it never looks good.  Short and a-line it shall be until the end of time.

2 - I am 0% productive after 8:00 pm.  I believe that is the time to sit on the couch, and watch mindless TV for the next hour and a half or so with my husband.  He sits at the end of the couch, I lean up against him with my legs taking up the rest of the couch, he puts an arm across my chest, and I absentmindedly tickle it.  It's one of the most important and cherished parts of my day.

3 - I hate Dancing With the Stars.  I think it's completely lame.  Yet I watch it.  I don't know why - I think I just want to know what's going on.

4 - I don't like to take baths.  It's not really relaxing to me, and I feel like I'm soaking in my own filth.  I've probably taken less than 10 baths in my adult life......maybe I would feel differently if I had a jetted tub.  I don't know.

5 - As I get more & more pregnant, I withdraw more & more from people.  Because I get really annoyed at just about everything everyone does {except Bryan, luckily}.  It's ridiculous, really, and it's over things that normally wouldn't bother me at all.  I also lose my filter more & more, so the more I'm around people the greater the risk is I will either put my foot in my mouth or just completely offend someone.  If this has happened to you, sorry.  Don't take it personally.  For instance, I lost my temper & screamed at Bryan's friend Hyrum because he didn't like Pirates of the Caribbean {the second one}.  Like I said, it's ridiculous.

6 - I can't snap my fingers.  Or whistle.  I believe it's some sort of birth defect.

7 - I like to think I'm creative, but let's be honest.  I just steal other peoples' ideas most of the time :).  Thank you internet!

8 - I love to cook.  I'm not very good at it, and it usually takes a few times for a recipe to really turn out like it should.  But I really, truly do LOVE to cook, and I wish I could make elaborate meals every night for my family.  Unfortunately, I work every night until at least 6:00, so my poor husband is left to his own devices most of the time {unless I've decided to go the extra mile & either do something in the crock pot or put together something in advance that he can throw in the oven}.  And he does a really good job, bless his heart.

9 - I love to watch bad TV.  Like, REALLY bad TV.  Especially reality TV.  Real Housewives of wherever, Bethenny Ever After.  And then there's Hoarders and Intervention.  I love it all - there's something about "sneaking" into peoples' lives that is so fascinating to me.

10 - I'm slightly OCD about certain things.  You know how you have those lights that have 2 switches in 2 different places?  Like one at the top of the stairs and one at the bottom for the same light?  Well, I'm very particular about which switch needs to be the one to control said light.  If someone turns on the stair light using the switch at the top of the stairs, and then turns it off using the switch at the bottom, thus leaving the switch at the top of the stairs "up" even though the light is off, I will go downstairs just to flip that switch and "fix" it.  I'm crazy, I know.  My poor husband.

I hope you enjoyed this. 
Happy Wednesday!!

Negative Nelly

So, I realize that lately things seem to have been slightly negative around here.  I know I talk alot about how hard this pregnancy has been and all the negative things associated with it.
I just want to clarify - it's not all bad.
I've been very introspective this pregnancy, because it's going to be our last {and please, PLEASE, no comments about "trying for that boy" or "wait until this baby isn't a baby anymore and you'll want another one" - I'm a bit tired of those comments.  We feel like #3 completes our family, and have since we had #1.  Period.  End of statement}.
I've thought alot about how this is going to be the last time - the last time I feel a baby move inside of my body.  The last time I get to wear my favorite secret fit belly jeans {they are soooooo comfy}, the last time I get a crazy food craving.
It's a very strange feeling to have, this "last time" feeling.  Carrying a baby is like nothing else in the world, and it's different for everyone.
But here are some things I'm going to miss and want to remember.
*Our 9:00 pm "Mom's belly is a jungle gym" sessions every night.  Like clockwork.  I remember the very first times I felt her move - it was around 12 weeks {maybe even a little earlier} were always at around 9:00.  Because that's when the girls are finally asleep and I can finally relax.  I still love to just lay on the couch at that time and feel {now watch} her go crazy in there.  That has always been my very most favorite part of being pregnant and I know I will miss it.
*Preparing.  I LOVE preparing for a new baby.  I love that my husband has let me completely redecorate the nursery with every new baby, crazy as it seems.  It's my way of feeling like I did something special for each baby.  And I know that it really is kind of nuts, and a total waste of money when I have perfectly good girly crib bedding.  And I know that the baby will never know.  It's completely a "me" weirdo thing.  It makes no sense.  And all of the itty bitty clothes and accessories you get to buy - seriously.  Could baby things be any cuter?  My other babies were more fall-ish babies, so it's been so sad having to buy a bunch of new summer things for this one :).  And I'm really into making little hair head adornments {bald babies, remember} for this one.  You can only use headbands through so many kids anyway before they just get nasty.  Really, I just love new stuff.
*I will greatly miss the little half smile Bryan gets when I catch him looking at my belly and he doesn't know I'm looking.  He doesn't love the whole pregnant thing - he thinks it's all kind of weird and alien-like.  Which I'm fine with.  He's just not one of those men who are all about their wife's belly and think it's the greatest thing ever.  So when I catch him looking, and see that little smile creep over his lips, and see the little sparkle in his eyes, I just want to burst inside. 
*The anticipation of meeting the newest member of the family.  I sit here for hours sometimes thinking of what this little lady is going to look/be like.  Will she have Lo's sweet disposition, Mya's cheeks, the same striking blue eyes that somehow both of my other girls got from who knows where?  There's no question, she will be bald, but will her hair eventually be curly and light like the other 2, or will she have my dark brown?  How will the birth go?  Birth is such a rush for me for this reason - I want to meet my child.  I want to get her out into this world, into our family where she belongs.  I secretly love giving birth.  The whole contracting and pushing and anticipation of the whole thing is so incredible and amazing and wonderful to me.  It's very strange to think this is the last time I will actually give birth to a child.
*The "after".  The late night feedings, in her room, just me and her.  Quiet throughout the rest of the house.  And I know with this baby especially, I will savor those moments of quiet together, because as soon as the sun rises, I will be needed for other things.  I won't be able to just hold and snuggle and smell her all by myself.  There will be cereal to pour, baths to give, hair to do, stories to read, fights to break up, and other attention to give.  I love the feeling a new baby brings to a home - there's nothing else like it.  Amid the craziness of it, there's a calm, a serenity that leaves all too quickly as they grow.  You can just feel how close they are to the veil, and the spirit they bring is like nothing else.  This is the last time I will bring home a new baby.

I can't believe I'm 34 weeks now, and will be meeting this sweet thing in probably more like 4 weeks {doc says I'm most likely to go early since I had the other 2 early - woo hoo}.  And this is the last time I will be saying that I'm "34 weeks along". Crazy. 

Closet Space!

Ahhhh, closet space.

As I mentioned before, Bryan worked a little magic in the girls' closet.

I don't have a before picture, but it was just a closet rod with a shelf over it.

I'm sure you can picture it just fine.

So here's the after:

We split it {almost} down the middle - here's the right side. 
Top rod for Lo, bottom for Mya.  And yes, my girls have a lot of clothes, but keep in mind they are both transitioning in sizes, and it's that fun time of year where you can't quite put away the long sleeved yet, but you have to get out the short.

So they are super packed.

On the floor are 2 small bins for their shoes.

 Some might think this is stupid, but we added another shelf all the way across at the top of the closet.  Reason?  Because I HATE stacking stuff up too high, and there is so much space up there, it just seems like a waste.

It also helps that I'm super tall and can reach it with no problem.  It's perfect for stuff the kids don't use all the time {and stuff I really don't want them to have access to}.

And the left side.

4 shelves - perfect for pants, sweaters, blankets, and toys.

At the bottom is a bin for princess dresses {it is very necessary to have a large bin for these}.

I can't tell you how much of a stress relief this closet has been!  I was finally able to move all of Mya's clothes out of the baby's room and put away all of the baby clothes.

Hugh sigh of relief.

Because, whatever would I do if I couldn't put baby clothes away, right?

Oh, the crazy mind of a pregnant woman.

And have I already mentioned how amazingly handy and talented my husband is?  Maybe I should mention it again.  Because he is.

And he's pretty easy on the eyes, as well, if I must say so myself.

Thanks honey!!

Guilt

Guilt is why I want to share this today.
I just read it and started bawling my eyes out.
This pregnancy has been hard, no doubt.
I'm still sick & having to take Zofran daily {if I don't, I deeply regret it and will throw up}, and am just plain nauseous from 2:00 pm til bedtime.
It hurts to walk.  all. the. time. And has for months. {I feel like I've pulled every "crotch" muscle there is}
I'm tired.  I feel like poop.
I'm stressed about getting things done for this baby, and being sick is keeping me from getting a lot of these things done.
And who do I take it out on?
My poor husband & children.
Lately I get so annoyed with everything - the second I sit down, someone needs more milk {don't they know how bad it hurts to walk across the room?}, someone needs something fished out from under the bed {um, have they seen the beach ball sticking out of my abdomen?}.
I can't even push my kids on the swings {it gives me contractions.  weird, I know, but true}.
I feel so guilty.
I'm short with my kids, and I'm constantly trying to tell myself that it will be over soon & I can get back to being a better mother.
But pregnancy is no excuse. 
Why don't I strive every minute to be the best mother to my girls that I can?
It's not their fault that I feel this way.  I should be able to push past the way I feel for them - because they are the most important thing in my life.
Reading this post just now helped me to remember what a blessing they are, and how much I love them.
Again, my children are a blessing.